I'm heading off the grid for the rest of the weekend, and I hope you are, too. Long weekends are not meant for sitting at the computer stewing in bitter juices. A couple wins between now and Tuesday's opening bell will help, of course, but the way this team is hitting, the Giants can only win when their pitchers throw shutouts.
That said, I was able to squeeze two moments of joy from last night's game. The first came when Pablo Sandoval made what might be the best defensive play I've ever seen. Definitely top ten. This clip doesn't quite do it justice; the beauty of it was not just Sandoval getting to the ball, but his mid-air realization that he had to throw home or get nothing at all. Then he made a perfect throw over Johjima's shoulder. Incredible.
The second moment was the loud standing ovation the Seattle fans gave Randy Johnson as he walked off the mound in the sixth inning. He battled to get out of the inning, and it was obvious time was running out. He was tiring fast. It was fascinating to watch the old buzzard use every trick in his book to try to get through, and when Bochy came to take the ball, with the bases loaded and one out, Johnson could have stomped off in a huff, frustrated with his luck and his team and the limitations of his 45-year-old body.
Instead he soaked up what became a tremendous ovation that filled the park. He spun to acknowledge all corners of the stadium and waved, not out of ego but in appreciation of the Seattle fans. It was a rare and lovely moment, made more poignant by the fact that Johnson is fading into the sunset, perhaps soon, perhaps not as soon as we think, but he's choosing to do so on his own terms, with grace and respect for the game.
